2012 porsche 911 Model Overview

The 2012 Porsche 911 is all-new this year. Yes, it may look just like the old 911 but, make no mistake, the 911 is back and better than ever in its seventh generation. The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S ride on a wheelbase that’s 4.1 inches longer than the previous 911, for an overall length gain of just 2.2 inches. While bigger usually equals bad, the new 911 is more stable and a better drive then the old one, making the 2012 Porsche 911 the best 911 yet.

While there will certainly be a plethora of 911 variants soon, so far Porsche has only announced the 911 Carrera and 911 Carrera S for this year. The 2012 911 Carrera is powered by a 350-hp 3.4-liter F-6 mounted right over the rear axle, while the Carrera S gets a 400-hp 3.8-liter F-6.

For 2012 Porsche will be offering two transmissions on the 911. The fantastic Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK for short) seven-speed dual-clutch automatic returns, while Porsche also introduces an all-new seven-speed manual transmission. Porsche says its new seven-speed manual is the first of its kind in a passenger car.

Everything is new for the 2012 Porsche 911, also known as the new 991-series 911. Instead of rolling out every different model at once, Porsche has just introduced the 911 Carrera and Carrera S coupes for the 2012 model year. The 2012 Porsche 911 is slightly larger than the previous generation, with its wheelbase growing 4.1 inches, for a total body stretch of 2.2 inches. That, combined with a wider front track is supposed to make the new 911 more stable, and a better handler. The base 911 Carrera is powered by a new 3.4-liter F-6 that while smaller in displacement than the old engine, produces 5 horsepower more than the old 911, for a total of 350 hp. The 2012 911 Carrera S is powered by an updated 3.8-liter F-6 that produces 400-hp, as opposed to the old engine’s 385 horsepower. The 911 has two transmission options; a seven-speed manual (the first ever in a passenger car), and a seven-speed “PDK” dual-clutch automatic.

Surprise, surprise — the 2012 Porsche 911 looks pretty much exactly like the 2011 911. As with all new 911’s, the 2012 911’s new exterior is evolutionary, not revolutionary. From a distance, the 2012 911 is hard to distinguish from the previous generation. Up close though, the differences become more obvious. The new 911 has a wheelbase that’s 4.1 inches longer, and a body that’s stretched an overall 2.2 inches longer than the previous generation. The 2012 911 also gets new headlights, and most notably new, thinner, LED taillights.

The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S’ interior is probably where the biggest differences between old and new are found. The 2012 911’s interior is reminiscent of the Porsche Panamera sport sedan’s interior. The 2012 911 gets a richly appointed interior, with a center stack that slopes into the central tunnel at an angle, just like the one found on the Panamera, giving the 2012 911 a true cockpit-like feel. The instrument panel sees the 911’s traditional five gauge layout return, though there’s now a 4.8-inch screen that displays navigation instructions, audio and telephone information, and vehicle information just right of the tach.

The 2012 Porsche 911 contains a lot of new technology, like the first ever seven-speed manual transmission in a passenger car, a seven-speed “PDK” dual-clutch automatic, and fuel-saving auto start/stop included on all models. The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S both have different engines. The 2012 911 Carrera gets an all-new 3.4-liter F-6 that produces 350 hp and 287 lb-ft of torque. Power is routed to the rear-wheels though all-wheel drive is certainly coming in the future. The 911 Carrera S is powered by a refreshed 3.8-liter F-6 that produces 400 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. In our testing, a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission-equipped Carrera S accelerated from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds, and stopped from that speed in just 94 feet.

As can be expected in any car designed to handle the high speeds of the German Autobahn, safety was a concern for Porsche with the 2012 911 Carrera and 911 Carrera S. The 2012 911 Carrera and Carrera S both include six airbags including a front driver and front passenger airbag, and standard safety amenities like anti-lock brakes, traction control, and electronic stability control. Porsche also used a large amount of high-strength steel in the body of the 2012 911 to enhance occupant protection.

2012 Porsche 911 Pricing

Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price

$79,000

Certified Pre Owned Pricewhat is this?

$45,850

Certified Pre-Owned Price is the approximate price a consumer can expect to pay at a dealership for a used vehicle that has passed the manufacturer's certification process. This price applies only to vehicles covered under an automaker's CPO program, not to a dealership's own "certified" used price.

Wheels, Two-Tone Forged Turbo

Pricing not yet available. Restrictions & Contents Not Updated to Current Model Year Specifications.

Opt

$2,440

Show Full Specs

Warranty

Warranty

Full Warranty Miles

50000

Maintenance Warranty Months

none

Full Warranty Months

48

Roadside Assistance Miles

50000

Powertrain Warranty Miles

50000

Roadside Assistance Months

48

Powertrain Warranty Months

48

Corrosion Warranty Miles

unlimited

Maintenance Warranty Miles

none

Corrosion Warranty Months

144

Recalls

Recalls

Recall ID#11V409000 - SEAT BELTS

Consequence

SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE SEAT BELT MAY NOT BE ROUTED OPTIMALLY AROUND THE OCCUPANT, OR MAY POTENTIALLY LOOSEN AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY DURING A CRASH.

Recall Date

2011-08-05

Description

PORSCHE IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 911 SPEEDSTER AND 911 GTS RS 4.0; AND MODEL YEAR 2012 BOXSTER (INCLUDING S AND SPYDER); CAYMAN (INCLUDING S AND R); 911 CARRERA (INCLUDING S, GTS, 4, 4S, AND 4 GTS); 911 TARGA 4 AND TARGA 4S; AND 911 TURBO AND TURBO S MODELS MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 31, 2011, THROUGH JUNE 10, 2011. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE MOUNTING HOLES IN THE SEAT BELT ANCHOR PLATES FITTED TO THE VEHICLE ARE TOO SMALL. IF THE HOLE DIAMETER IS TOO SMALL, THE ANCHOR PLATE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ROTATE ABOUT THE FASTENING BOLT AS DESIGNED.

Remedy

PORSCHE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SEAT BELT ANCHORS AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE SEAT BELT. THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-767-7243.

If the exhaust tail pipe separates from the muffler it may become a hazard for other vehicles on the road, increasing the risk of a crash.

Recall Date

2013-02-22

Description

Porsche is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 911 Carrera and Carrera 4 vehicles manufactured from March 7, 2012, through November 12, 2012, and equipped with a standard (not sport) exhaust system. The exhaust tail pipe may fracture and separate from the rear muffler.

Remedy

Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear mufflers free of charge. An interim notice was mailed to owners on May 9, 2013. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Porsche at 1-800-767-7243.

IF THE FUEL LINE BECOMES DISCONNECTED, A FUEL LEAK MAY OCCUR. A FUEL LEAK COULD LEAD TO THE ENGINE MISFIRING OR STALLING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A FIRE.

Recall Date

2012-03-21

Description

PORSCHE IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 911 CARRERA S VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 26, 2011, THROUGH JANUARY 24, 2012. INTERFERENCE BETWEEN A COOLANT LINE AND A FUEL LINE MAY CAUSE THE FUEL LINE TO BECOME DISCONNECTED AT THE QUICK CONNECTOR.

Remedy

PORSCHE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL LINE WITH A NEW FUEL LINE, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 26, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-767-7243.

2012 Porsche 911 News and Reviews

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